


Sinking Feeling

by ProseApothecary



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Adjusting to your boyfriend's weird celebrity life, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:34:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24182161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProseApothecary/pseuds/ProseApothecary
Summary: “I don’t want to embarrass you,” Eddie says quietly, scrubbing at the sink particularly thoroughly.There’s a few seconds of stunned silence.“Hey,” Eddie says, as Richie forcibly turns him around. “What are you-”“Eddie,” Richie says, once they’re face-to-face, “Have you met me? Several people have already asked me how I managed to land atwunk.” Richie emphasises the word to see Eddie scowl. “Alice is shocked that I’m dating someone who has personal hygiene. Steve can’t believe that my boyfriend can actually read.” Richie pauses thoughtfully. “You can read, right?”“One of us needs to be fucking literate."
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 14
Kudos: 291





	Sinking Feeling

“Occupied!” Eddie says, turning his head as the bathroom door opens. “…Oh. It’s you.”

“Thrilled to see you too.”

Richie looks at Eddie, rubber gloves on, scrubbing at the sink. “You ok, Eds?”

Eddie gives him a strained smile. “Yep!” When Richie does not look any less concerned, he puts down the cloth and adds, “You’d think rich people would have cleaner sinks, right?”

“…Did you bring rubber gloves to a party?”

“They were under the kitchen counter,” Eddie says, as if this explains _everything_. Then he goes back to scrubbing.

Richie walks over, tentatively hooking his arms around Eddie’s middle. “You want to go home?”

“No. You need to get out there and network.”

“Then come network with me,” Richie says, taking a step back, tugging at Eddie’s middle.

“I don’t want to embarrass you,” Eddie says quietly, scrubbing at the sink particularly thoroughly.

There’s a few seconds of stunned silence.

“Hey,” Eddie says, as Richie forcibly turns him around. “What are you-”

“Eddie,” Richie says, once they’re face-to-face, “Have you met me? Several people have already asked me how I managed to land a _twunk_.” Richie emphasises the word to see Eddie scowl. “Alice is shocked that I’m dating someone who has personal hygiene. Steve can’t believe that my boyfriend can actually read.” Richie pauses thoughtfully. “You _can_ read, right?”

“One of us needs to be fucking literate,” Eddie says, twisting his face to obscure the growing smile.

“My point,” Richie says, “is that I’m going to be the one embarrassing you.”

“You know, in 90% of scenarios, that would be true.” Eddie says, “But this is your area. And while I’m glad that I surpassed your friends’ incredibly low expectations for you, they’re not the only people here. This is your chance to schmooze, and network, and pretend to be a cool, normal person, and you can’t do that if I’m asking every server if the cocaine on the counter is gluten-free.”

“This is LA, Eds,” Richie says. “Of _course_ the cocaine is gluten-free. And I don’t give a fuck about schmoozing.”

“Well it’s part of your _job_ , so I guess I’ll have to give enough fucks for the both of us.”

Richie plants his face in Eddie’s hair and groans. “Well we can go home, or we can go out there and network, but you’re not fucking hiding in a bathroom like you’re my secret mistress.” There’s a pause while Richie thinks. “Third option: we have sex in a stranger’s bathroom, like you _are_ my secret mistress.”

“Tempting,” says Eddie dryly. “Especially since I’ve been cleaning puke off a sink for the last half-hour.”

“Hey man, whatever does it for you.”

Eddie pulls back and rests his hands on Richie’s chest. A long, drawn-out sigh fills the air between them. “Fine,” he says finally. “To the networking, not the fucking bathroom sex. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He takes Richie’s hand, and drags him out.

Immediately, an older, comfortably stylish woman corners them.

If she thinks there’s anything suspicious about them leaving the bathroom together, she doesn’t say so. “Richie Tozier!” she beams. “I’ve been wanting to meet you since your last set. Very brave. Got a lot of new demos on board.”

“Ah,” says Richie. “Was it the toaster strudel bit?”

Eddie is about step on Richie’s foot, but the woman just laughs, and Eddie realises he has no idea how this dynamic is supposed to work, which is yet another reason _he should not be here._

“Is this the much-vaunted boyfriend?” The woman asks, looking at Eddie. “How does it feel to be dating a famous comedian?”

“Ask me again when I’ve got Mulaney’s number,” Eddie says. The woman laughs again, so, apparently he’s done something right.

A server goes past, and Richie picks up a canape for himself. Eddie’s stomach is dangerously close to growling, but he doesn’t want to interrupt the conversation with his laundry list of requirements, so he lets it be.

“He feels starstruck, clearly,” Richie says. “ _Every day_ , I have to remind him that I’m just a normal guy.”

Eddie pipes up. “Normal is a strong word.”

The woman gets out a business card and hands it to Richie. “Luckily we’re looking for something abnormal. I’ll let you mingle, but if you’re interested in getting into TV, give us a call.”

Eddie whacks Richie’s arm as soon as he disappears. “So, that went pretty fucking well?”

Richie smiles at him. “I think you charmed her.”

Eddie huffs. He’s going a little pink, and he’s about to change the topic, when he notices a blonde woman in an eye-grazingly shiny minidress standing in front of them.

“So,” she says, eliding greetings. “Are either of you interested in a YouTube collab? Apparently James Charles is ‘the wrong kind of gay’ for my brand, so I really need to diversify.”

Richie turns to Eddie. “Did you hear that, Eddie? I’m the right kind of gay.”

“I’ve never been prouder,” Eddie says. “Or more surprised.”

The food passes by again. Eddie looks on wistfully.

Richie glances between him and the server. “Sorry,” he says. “Do you know if these have gluten? Or cashews, or MSG, or um, Cayenne pepper?”

The server pulls a slip of paper from her back pocket and checks it. “All good,” she says. “You want one?”

“Thanks,” says Richie, grabbing 3, and a napkin, and passing them over to Eddie.

Eddie flushes, but he murmurs his thanks and starts digging in.

“Whoa,” the woman says. “Gluten, cashews, MSG and Cayenne pepper? I haven’t even heard of that cleanse.”

“It cleanses your body of joy,” Richie says.

“Sounds fresh.” She turns to Eddie and points a finger at his chest. “I love your healthy take. What do you say to 20 minutes reviewing your favourite detox teas?”

“I can do it in one,” Eddie says. “They’re all terrible for you.”

Her mouth twists. “On second thought, I don’t know that you’re the right fit.” She walks off.

Richie turns to Eddie, widening his eyes. “ _Eddie_. You’re the _wrong_ kind of gay.”

“I _told_ you I wasn’t LA enough for this,” Eddie says, irritated.

“Yeah,” Richie says. “Cause I was really looking forward to collaborating with her. You know, before you ruined our chances at having our own line of shit-your-pants teas.”

Eddie shakes his head, mouth quirking.

“Luckily I know how you can apologise. By coming home with me. Or starting our own hands-on collaboration in the ba-”

“Home.” Eddie says, taking Richie’s hand. “You can demonetise me there.”


End file.
